Margaret Allen, 72, and a 48 years resident of Oakland, joins a group of other dancers from the East Oakland Soul Line dancers group at the Ira Jinkins Recreation Center on Thursday March 10, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. Recent census statistics show that African Americans are leaving Oakland in records numbers. "I love Oakland. Even with all of its problems its still one of the best cities in the bay area," said Allen.

Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle

Margaret Allen, 72, and a 48 years resident of Oakland, joins a...

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Sherman Taylor, 69, and a 65 year resident of Oakland, joins a group of friends at the dominos table in the game room at the Ira Jinkins Recreation Center on Thursday March 10, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. Recent census statistics show that African Americans are leaving Oakland in records numbers. "It's my home," said Taylor who plans to never leave.

Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle

Sherman Taylor, 69, and a 65 year resident of Oakland, joins a...

Image 3 of 3

Donald Wilkins, 70, a 55 year resident of Oakland, joins a group of other African American seniors in the game room at the Ira Jinkins Recreation Center on Thursday March 10, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. Recent census statistics show that African Americans are leaving Oakland in records numbers. Jenkins said, "I would like to leave Oakland because of the crime."

Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle

Donald Wilkins, 70, a 55 year resident of Oakland, joins a group of...

Oakland, whose thriving African American community for decades shaped black identity for the nation, lost nearly a quarter of its black population in the past decade, U.S. Census data shows.

Now, Oakland has nearly as many white people as it does African American. It also has nearly as many Latinos.

The exodus left the city with a net loss of 33,000 African American residents and made Oakland one of the few big California cities to decline in size. Oakland, which had the second largest overall population decline in the state, lost about 2 percent of its population, which now stands at 390,724. Only Santa Ana lost more residents.

African Americans have been moving in large numbers from urban areas to the suburbs and beyond for the past two decades in California. But the migration has particular significance in Oakland.

Oakland's black community "brought African American identity into the mainstream, instead of the margins," said Ishmael Reed, author of "Blues City: a Walk in Oakland" and a longtime resident. "I just hate to see the decline."

Black people remain the single largest ethnic group at 27.3 percent of the population, just slightly greater than the white and Hispanic populations, which are 25.9 and 25.4 percent of the population respectively. Asians account for 16.7 percent. In 1980, black people accounted for 46 percent of the city.

2nd largest population

Oakland has 106,637 African Americans, still the second largest black population in the state. Only Los Angeles, with 347,380 black people, has more - but they make up 9 percent of the population. All of the state's major cities, except Sacramento, saw declines in their black populations. Inland areas saw gains. African Americans make up 5.8 percent of California's population.

Integration a factor

The movement from traditional strongholds into new areas shows, in part, the continuing success of integration, some say.

"The traditional idea of a black community is dissolving," said Dowell Myers, a professor of policy planning and development at the University of Southern California. "That's the positive outcome of decades of racial equality. The downside is the breakdown of community."

African American ministers and politicians point to a variety of factors that have led people to leave Oakland for cities like Stockton, Fairfield, Antioch and Sacramento. A lower cost of living, the lure of jobs, frustration with schools and the search for safer communities all played key roles.

"African Americans are no different than anyone else: They want to live in safe neighborhoods," said Oakland Councilman Larry Reid. "They want their children to be able to play on the street, where next door neighbors look after children."

Too much crime

In the seven years he lived in North Oakland, Shaw had his home broken into, his daughter's car broken into twice, and had two separate houseguests have their cars get broken into. He could hear occasional gunfire and car chases.

The final straw was when he had his own car broken into twice in one night last June. The next month, he moved to Walnut Creek.

"I love Oakland for the cultural value and African American history," said Shaw, 43, who still works downtown, goes to Oakland churches and socializes on weekends in the city. "But it's not a safe place."